Permanent waving apparatus



Oct. 13, 1936. M. BURTON PERMANENT WAVING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 7, 1933 INVENTGR f Mm 0, ,AA wr 0 A,

Patented Oct. 13, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PERMANENT WAVING APPARATUS Application November 7, 1933, Serial No. 696,949

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to permanentwaving, and more particularly to novel and useful improvements in the electrolytic process of permanent waving oi white and other light colored hair.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, construction, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompaying drawing, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrates one embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serves to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an electrolytic heating pad in accordance with the present invention;

g5 Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic side elevation, showing the illustrative embodiment of the invention in use, and

Fig. 3 i's a fragmentary cross section, greatly enlarged, taken on the line 3--3 o'f Fig. 2.

30 This invention has for its object the provision of a novel and improved heating and lotion-carrying pad particularly adapted for u'se in the permanent waving of white, gray and other light hair, although equally well adapted for general 35 use. Another object is the provision of such a heating and lotion carrying pad which can be operated at a substantially constant temperature less than the boiling point of the lotion with which it is moistened.

40 It has been found that the yellowing of white hair is due to many factors such as the formation of colored metallic compounds on the hair during waving process, but also in many cases to the heating of the hair too long or at too high a temperature. `In certain cases, physiological conditions cause the heat yellowing even when all other sources of yellowing have been removed, and the present invention is directed to the provision of a heating and lotion carrying 50 pad of general application which can be used with any type of hair.

Preferably and as embodied, the heating pads comprise an inner perforate electrode of a metal which would form a white sulfide, such as zinc,

55 an outer electrode of similar metal and a layer of absorbent electrolyte carrier positioned between said electrodes and positionally separated from the outer electrode by means of a perforated sheet of material having a relatively high resistance, the electric current flowing from one electrode to the other through the lotion with which the absorbent carrier is moistened and through the perforations in the high resistance sheet. This carrier is moistened with a lotion comprising an aqueous solution of a volatile alkali, such as ammonia, but which will not react too readily with the metal electrodes to destroy them before completion of the waving process.

It will be understood that the foregoing general ydescription and the following detailed description as well are exemplary and explanatory of the invention but are not restrictive thereof.

In certain respects the present invention is an improvement on the invention disclosed in the patent to Durham and Finnegan No. 1,926,987 of September 12, 1933, but it is not limited thereto.

Referring now in detail to the present embodiment of the invention as shown in the drawing, the electrolytic heating pad comprises:

An inner electrode 2, which may be separated from a wound tress of hair by means of a layer of paper 4 waxed to the inner side of said electrode and perforated in register therewith, as at 6. This paper may be omitted in many cases without harmful effects but is desirable when metal curling rods are used.

A layer of absorbent material 8 adapted to be positioned between the inner and outer foil electrodes and in contact therewith and to be moistened with hair waving, electrolytically conducting lotion. n A layer of perforated sheet material l0 having a relatively high resistance t'o the flow of electricity, the number and size of the perforations depending on the voltage with which the heating pad is used. In actual practice, I have found that when the perforations l I constitute approximately of the area, the results are very satisfac` tory. The sheet l0 may be conveniently formed of moisture proof cellophane (regenerated cellulose) or other suitable material.

In order to prevent overheating of the ends of the hair where the pad may be tightly clamped about the rod during heating, the upper portion of the sheet l0 is imperforate to completely insulate the outer foil l2 permitting it to act only as a seal at the upper end.

An outer electrode l2 to contact with the outer face of the carrier 8 through the perforations H in sheet I0, and to be wrapped about the wound trees of hair to form a tight envelope surrounding the tress.

The inner electrode is formed from a metal which forms a light-colored or white sulde, such as zinc, although for dark hair metals such as tin or lead may be used.l The outer electrode l2 is formed from a. similar metal..

The absorbent material 8 `may be felt, ilannel or other absorbent material, and the parts may be secured together in proper relation by a line of stitching lil.

The lotion preferably comprises a highly conductive aqueous solution of a weak volatile alkali, such as ammonia, and suitable negative ions for preventing too rapid volatilization of the ammonia, such as carbonate or borate ions.

As an example of a suitable lotion for use with the heating pads and process of the present in- Vention. the following may be given:

To this may be added, suitable hair enriching compounds, oils, etc; as desired.

In use, the heating pad, moistened with a small quantity of the lotion is wrapped about a tress of hair id wound on a conventional curling rod It, and wrapped with porous tape i8, so as to form concentric layers; -the paper d against the tape it, then the inner foil 2, the electrolyte carrier 8, the perforated resistance sheet ill and finally the outer foil electrode E2.

ri'he inner and outer electrodes are then connected to a source 2i) of relatively low voltage alternating current, such as 4 volts, and current is conducted from one electrode to the other through the lotion. The resistance of the lotion to the electrolytic conduction of current causes the lotion to be heated rapidly, causing liberation of moist ammonia vapor which passes through perforations t and is condensed on the wound tress of hair to be permanently waved.

However, in accordance with the present process the e'ective resistance of the heating pad is increased by the interposed perforated layer Il) which prevents the passage of sufficient current to heat the lotion to boiling, at the same time permitting the use of a highly conductive lotion such as is generally and preferably used in the electroiytic process. This heating action continues for a suicient time, ve to seven minutes, depending on the nature of the hair being treated.

Due to the lower temperature of heating, the hair is not yellowed", and even white hair which is physiologically easily susceptible of yellowing during the waving process can besatisfactorily waved.

If desired, the resistance layer Ill may be made in the form of a foraminous film of high resistance material formed in situ on the inner surface of the outer-electrode l2.

The invention in its broader aspects is Y not limited to the speciiic mechanisms shown and described but departures maybe made therefrom within the4 scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacricing its chief advantages.

What I claim is:-

1. An electrolytic heating pad for permanently waving hair comprising a sheet oi absorbent material positioned between an inner sheet of thin perforate metal foil and an outer sheet of metal foil, a sheet of foraminous, moisture-proof cellophane overlying one of said foils and positioned between it and said absorbent sheet and means for4 securing said sheets together.

2. An electrolytic heating pad for .permanently waving hair comprising a sheet of absorbent ma terial positioned between an inner sheet of thin perforatexnetal foil and an outer sheet of metal foil, a sheet of foraminous, moisture-proof material positioned between said absorbent sheet and one foil to increase the resistance between said foils when said absorbent sheet is mostened said foraminous sheet being imperforate at one end to be positioned adjacent to the end of the tress of hair and means for securing said sheets together.

3. -An electrolytic heating pad for permanently waving hair comprising a sheet of absorbent material positioned between an inner sheet of thin periorate metal foil and an outer sheet of metal ioil, a sheet of ioraminous, moisture-proof cellophane overlying one of said foils and positioned between it and said absorbent sheet, said foraininous sheet being imperforate at one end to be positioned adjacent to the end of the tress of hair and means for securing said sheets together.

4. An electrolytic heating pad for permanently waving hair comprising a sheet of absorbent material positioned between an inner sheet of thin perforate zinc foil and an outer sheet of zinc foil, a layer of foraminous, non-conducting material positioned between one foil and the absorbentsheet to reduce the electrode area of the foil and means for securing said sheets together.

5. An electrolytic heating pad for permanently waving hair comprising a sheet of absorbent material positioned between an inner sheet of thin perforate zinc foil and an outer sheet of zinc foil, a sheet of ioraminous, moisture-proof cellophane overlying one of said foils and positioned between it and said absorbent sheet and means for scouring said sheets together.

6. An electrolytio heating pad for permanently waving hair comprising a sheet of absorbent materia] positioned between an inner sheet of thin perforate zinc'ioil and an outer sheet of zinc foil, a sheet of foraminous, moisture-proof cellophane overlying one of said foils and positioned between it and said absorbent sheet, said foraminous sheet being imperforate at one end to be'positionecl adjacent 'to the end of the tress of hair and means for securing said sheets together.

7. An electrolytic heating pad for permanent waving comprising a sheet of absorbent material moistened with electrically conductive hair waving lotions, metallic foil electrodes of opposite polarity contacting the opposite faces oi said sheet, said foil being oi zinc whereby the sulfur inv the hair will form a light colored compound with the metal and thereby prevent temporary discoloration oi the hair and a member of predeterminedly limited conductivity between one of said electrodes and the absorbent sheet. 

